War Diaries Talk

Z5 TM Battery attached to Bde for Discipline

  • erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be by erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be

    What does this mean? Are all the men of that unit punished? is an attachment a punishment?

    Posted

  • marie.eklidvirginmedia.com by marie.eklidvirginmedia.com

    I don't think a whole TM Battery would be attached for punishment. I think it may mean attached for training and instruction in discipline.

    Posted

  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    My best guess is also that it's some form of training with an active brigade. It will be interesting to see if they are mentioned again.

    Posted

  • cyngast by cyngast moderator

    I, too, think it is for training in discipline. It might cover such things as how to behave on parade, how and when to salute, but also how to stay calm and do your job while under fire.

    An attachment is not a punishment. An attachment occurs when a unit or individual man is placed under the command of a unit that is not their own for a temporary period of time. This can be for training or because the second unit has a shortage of manpower.

    Posted

  • erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be by erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be

    This unit was part of the Left group. https://talk.operationwardiary.org/#/subjects/AWD0003s1v

    Posted

  • David_Underdown by David_Underdown moderator

    I think it's probably to do with the disciplinary powers that different ranks of officer held. Generally only field officers (ie majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels) could use the more severe punishments available when a man was found guilty of an offence on a summary basis (ie without a court martial), more junior officers ie company officers (captains) and subalterns (lieutenants and second lieutenants) had more restricted powers.

    So particularly if the TM was only commanded by a lieutenant say they would have quite a limited range of punishment options to use without sending the troublemaker for a court martial. I suspect that by attaching for discipline, one of the brigade staff would have taken on some of the disciplinary duties, and would have been of appropriate rank to issue the more severe summary punishments, negating the need for a time consuming court martial for what would still have been relatively low level offending.

    Posted

  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    Thanks, David!

    Posted